Over time, Luffy finally accepted Uta's departure. Though he had been disheartened for a while, his usual cheerful and carefree self soon returned. He continued his daily training with Satoru and frequently pestered Shanks, insisting he be taken out to sea.
Shanks, ever the mischievous type, handled Luffy's antics with humor. If it had been anyone else, they might have lost patience with the boy's relentless demands.
"Next time, take me with you, Shanks! I want to be a pirate too!" Luffy exclaimed loudly one evening at the tavern.
Shanks chuckled, savoring his drink. "Hahaha! You? A pirate? Not a chance!"
"Why not?!" Luffy retorted angrily.
"You're just good at swimming, Luffy," Jesus Burgess teased, earning laughter from the crew.
"I'm also great at fighting! My punches are as strong as a pistol!" Luffy exclaimed, throwing a few punches in the air for effect.
Shanks raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Oh really? That's your big selling point?"
"What's with that tone?!" Luffy yelled, his face red with frustration.
"You're just a kid," Lucky Roo chimed in, biting into a large chunk of meat.
"Exactly," Jesus Burgess added. "You're the same age as my child."
Shanks smirked and added fuel to the fire. "If you were as good as Satoru, maybe I'd consider it."
Hearing this, Luffy's face turned even redder. "I'm not a kid anymore! I've grown up!"
"Alright, alright, don't get mad. Here, have some juice," Shanks said, handing Luffy a glass of juice to calm him down.
The sight of the juice immediately brightened Luffy's mood, and he gratefully took the glass. "Thanks!"
Satoru, seated quietly nearby with a glass of milk, watched the scene unfold. He knew what was about to happen and felt conflicted. On the one hand, Luffy was like a brother to him, but on the other, certain events needed to take place for Luffy to grow into the man destined to become the Pirate King.
Suddenly, the tavern doors burst open with a loud kick. A group of rough-looking bandits entered, their leader swaggering inside with an air of superiority.
The red-haired pirates remained calm, their expressions showing more amusement than concern. To them, these bandits were insignificant pests, easily swatted away if the mood struck them.
"Is this the great pirate crew I've heard about?" the bandit leader mocked, scanning the room with disdain.
Shanks ignored the insult, laughing as if nothing had happened.
"Why are you just laughing?!" Luffy demanded. "Aren't you supposed to be pirates?!"
Shanks smiled and explained, "No need to get upset over a little spilled wine, Luffy."
"But they disrespected you!" Luffy shouted, his admiration for pirates clashing with Shanks' laid-back demeanor.
Satoru, sipping his milk, didn't interfere. He knew this moment was pivotal. Sometimes, stepping back was necessary to allow others to grow.
While everyone was distracted, Luffy's attention drifted to an oddly shaped fruit sitting in a wooden box on the bar. Curious and mischievous as always, he reached for it and took a large bite.
By the time Shanks noticed, it was too late. Luffy had eaten nearly all of it.
"Luffy! Did you just eat the fruit in that box?!" Shanks yelled, grabbing the boy and shaking him upside down in a futile attempt to make him spit it out.
Luffy's legs stretched unnaturally long, and his face hit the floor with a comical *thud.* "Huh? What's going on?"
Shanks sighed heavily, his expression a mix of exasperation and concern. "You just ate the Gum-Gum Fruit, a Devil Fruit! Your body's now rubber, but you'll never be able to swim again!"
"WHAT?! I CAN'T SWIM?!" Luffy screamed in panic, flailing his stretchy limbs.
As chaos unfolded, Satoru quietly observed. His Six Eyes activated, noticing a peculiar energy entering Luffy's body the moment he bit into the fruit. This wasn't just the power of the Gum-Gum Fruit. It was something far greater—something mythical.
Unfazed by the commotion, Satoru smirked to himself. *So, it's Nika's energy. Things are going to get interesting from here.*